Authorities have called off the search operation for six fishermen who went missing off the coast of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Their boat had capsized on July 4, ending hopes of finding them alive after days of searching.
The fishermen remained untraced despite a four day long search and rescue operation carried out by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. This extensive effort, involving two ships and two helicopters of the Coast Guard, continued until Tuesday midnight, but all attempts by the search teams proved unsuccessful.
Authorities now presume the missing fishermen dead, basing this conclusion on information provided by a fellow fisherman who was rescued by a cargo ship on Sunday.
What the state minister said
State Minister Kollu Ravindra spoke to media persons after consoling the families of the missing fishermen. He confirmed that since no trace of the missing men was found even after an extensive search lasting more than 72 hours, they are now presumed dead.
How the tragedy unfolded
A group of seven fishermen belonging to Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts had set out on a boat for fishing from Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour on July 1.
The boat developed a mechanical failure and capsized on Saturday while the fishermen were making their way back to the coast. One person from the group was rescued by the crew of a merchant vessel and reached the coast on Monday.
Financial assistance for the families
With the search operation now called off, the state government has announced financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of the six fishermen who remain missing.
A heavy sense of grief has settled over the families, who had been holding onto hope for their safe return throughout the search.
Warning signs before the tragedy
The fishermen had originally set off for fishing on July 1. As sea conditions turned rough due to a low pressure area forming over the Bay of Bengal, their families contacted them over mobile phones to alert them about the worsening weather.
In response, the fishermen told their families they would return to the coast by the afternoon of July 4.
When they failed to return and their mobile phones were found switched off, anxious families raised the alarm, alerting both the Coast Guard and Marine Police to begin a search.
The survivor’s account
Kari Chinna, who owned the missing fishing boat, was rescued by the Panama flagged merchant vessel MV Universe Wealthy on Sunday.
The Indian Navy airlifted him from the vessel to INS Dega on Monday evening. He was later shifted to KIMS ICON Hospital for treatment. According to doctors, he remains in stable condition.
Doctors quoted Chinna as saying the boat capsized on Saturday at 3:30 pm. He described how he kept swimming to save himself and remained in the sea for approximately 18 hours before being rescued by the merchant vessel’s crew around 9 am on Sunday.